A report from Buzzfeed News says a 27-year-old student at Southern New Hampshire University had to complete an assignment comparing American social norms to what someone would find in another country.

She told Buzzfeed she also alerted SNHU because "she was anxious other students might have been incorrectly graded by the professor".

To address the professor's apparent ignorance, Arnold sent a series of emails containing references from the school's library which clearly stated Australia is both a continent and a country.

"That error made it almost impossible for you to accurately complete your week 2 research outline correctly", she replied.

In the email, the professor doubled-down by stating: "I want you to understand that any error in a project can invalidate the entire research project". "Research is like dominoes, if you accidentally knock over one piece the entire set will also fall", the lecturer wrote to the student. She even included a link to the Australian government's website.

Southern New Hampshire University fired a professor who failed a student on an assignment for noting that Australia is a country which, as those of us who pay attention are aware, it is.

"At first I thought it was a joke; this can't be real". "Australia is both a country and a continent", she wrote in a third email. She replied that she would "gladly re-examine" her project, but stood firmly by her belief that Australia was not a country.

"I'm failing a 300 level college course because my professor thinks Australia isn't a country".

Australia the country, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is comprised of the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands.

A BAFFLED student failed her university assignment because her lecturer didn't believe Australia was a real country.

University officials tell WMUR-TV the instructor has been replaced following an investigation.

We don't know about the content of Arnold's research paper, but we hope she captured the unique power of social media in the U.S.to change hearts, minds and grades - and see that academic justice is served.

"We deeply regret the interaction between our professor and our student, and have apologized to the student and refunded her for the class".

SNHU has since apologised to Arnold.